THE KABBALAH OF TIME:
Kahane and Wainer explain that the calendar is the master key to unlock the hidden rationale behind the formal structure of ancient sacred texts, as well as to understand basic mystical concepts. When comprehended within the context of the Jewish calendar, these works reveal the spiritual energy of each week, serving as a practical guide for self-analysis and development.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Week 15 (Book 3): Peleg and Evil Speech

SONG OF THE SEA: People heard, they trembled; a shudder seized the
inhabitants of Philistia.

HAFTORAH: Then the people of the Lord went down to the cities. Praise!
Praise! Deborah.

TALMUD SOTAH: Daf 15 - The Metzorah

GENERATIONS FROM ADAM TO THE LAST KING OF JUDAH: Peleg

JOURNEYS IN THE DESERT: They journeyed from Hazeroth and camped in
Rithmah.

On Week 15 is the fast of the 10th of Teveth, which marks
the day in which the Babylonian Empire laid siege to Jerusalem, which was
eventually destroyed. The verses of the Song of the Sea speak of how the people
heard and trembled, and how the Phlistine inhabitants were seized by a shudder.
Many years later, it would be the Jewish people that would tremble and shudder
with the coming of the Babylonians and the siege they placed on Jerusalem. In
the future, the 10thof Teveth day will be a day of celebration.

The Haftorah’s verses describe how the people of G-d
descended to the cities. The Hebrew word for cities used here is Shearim, which
also means gates. On the 10th of Teveth, Nebuchadnezar and his people, who the
prophets exclaim were sent by G-d, descended upon the city of Jerusalem and
surrounded its gates.

Rashi explains that the reason the song states, “Praise, Praise
Devorah!” is because the spirit of G-d had left her, because she had praised
herself. This is connected to the idea that the First Temple was destroyed (and
the spirit of G-d left it) because the people did not make the blessing over
Torah study. First and foremost, we must realize that all Torah knowledge and
all prophecy comes directly from G-d, and that there is no room to praise
oneself.

Daf Tes Vav (Folio 15) of Sotah is continues the explanation
of what the Sotahoffering entailed. The entire Daf consists primarily of
contrasting the offering of the Sotah with that of the Metzorah, one who had
contacted a spiritual skin disease resembling leprosy or psoriasis. The Talmud
also notes that the purification of the Metzorah is more severe than that of
the Sotah. The Metzorah’s sin is related to Lashon Harah, evil speech/slander,
which, as mentioned last week, is equivalent to all three major sins in the
Torah (idolatry, adultery, and murder), another reason given for why the First
Temple was destroyed. The Metzorah himself must be exiled from the camp, and can
only return once purified of his condition. His exile is similar to the exile
endured by the Jewish people after the destruction of the Temple.

The Torah explains that Peleg was so named because it was in
his days that the Tower of Bavel was made and the world’s population was split
and spread into different lands. This “exile” is parallel to that of the Jewish
people after the destruction of the Temple. The division also appears parallel
to the Metzorah above, who was punished with exile because he had himself
caused divisiveness among others with his evil speech.

The Babylonians made a point of exiling most of the Jewish
people from the land and bringing a different people to dwell in parts of the
Land of Israel. The split between the Jewish community in Israel and that of
the Babylonian diaspora was one that remained in place for centuries.

In the fifteenth week, the Jews journey from Hazeroth and
camped in Rithmah. Rithmah, which is also known as Kadesh Barnea, was the place
of another major sin of Lashon Harah, when the spies, not learning the lesson
from Miriam, slandered the Land of Israel. Their actions, and the acceptance of
their words by the Jewish people, led to Tisha B’Av, the date of the
destruction of both the First and Second Temple. Rashi states:

Rithmah: Heb. רִתְמָה, so named because
of the slander of the spies, for it says,“What can He give you, and what can He
add to you, you deceitful tongue? Sharpened arrows of a mighty man, with coals
of brooms רְתָמִים” (Ps. 120:3-4). - [Mid. Aggadah]

The slander against the Land was ultimately a slander
against G-d. The people did not have faith that G-d could conquer the Land for
them. The personal journey is to internalize the concept of avoiding bad speech
and rebellion against our leaders, and focus on the concept of not speaking Lashon
Harah against G-d and the Land of Israel. The Talmud teaches that whoever does
not show gratitude towards his fellow human being will end up not showing
gratitude to Hashem Himself.

Rebbe Yisrael Taub and his son, Shaul Yedidya Elazer Taub, the First and Second Rebbes of Modzitz

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The date also marks the yahrzeit of emmissaries Gavriel Noach and Rivky Holzberg, who died "Al Kidush Hashem" (sanctifying G-d's Holy Name), as well as the Rebbe's miraculous recovery from a massive heart attack.

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Burial Place of the Mitteler Rebbe, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch

His yahrzeit (and birthday) is on Tuesday, the 9th of Kislev. The following day, the 10th of Kislev, is celebrated as the day of his personal redemption.